Page 68 of High Notes & Hail Marys

You tilt your head, confused.

“You didn’t want me on tour,” you remind him. “You have routines. Remember? We talked about this.”

Sterling nods, knotting the sheet in his hand. “I did say that. And, at the time, I meant it. But that was then, and now is different. I want to see you, Kai. Iwant us to do this together.”

It’s the second time in one conversation that his words have physically affected you, but it’s happening again. A slow-but-sure quickening in your chest, the queasiness dissipating like snow melt and becoming something new. Warmer. Brighter.

“Let me get this straight,” you say slowly. “You are asking me to come spend seven weeks with you in Europe? On tour? Just the two of us?”

Sterling laughs. “Well, the two of us… yeah. But also eight backup singers, twenty dancers, several dozen roadies and crew members, countless publicity agents, my overseas tour manager, probably Maeve here and there. Oh, yeah, and the junior PAs that she hired for the extension…”

“I get it!” You put your hands up, snorting a laugh. “Just us and a couple hundred of our closet friends. A real intimate soirée.”

“Will you?” he asks. And, if you didn’t know better, you’d say that Sterling soundsimpulsive.

“Yes,” you say. You haven’t even thought out the particulars—you need to stay in shape, you have meetings to attend, you have other things that will need setting up—but you already know that, by hook or by crook, you are going to work them out. That, no matter what, you are making this happen.

On the screen, Sterling breaks into a goofy smile and drums his hands on the bed happily.

Part Three: London Boy

Chapter Seventeen

OFF-SEASON ROUNDUP: MIAMI CYCLONES

With Frank Allyoop and Fern Foosball

www.f2football.com

[Transcript: April 4th, 2025]

Frank:Welcome back to F-Squared Football!

Fern:Great to see you guys. What are we talking about today, Frank?

Frank:So glad you asked. We’re continuing this little trend we’ve been doing the past couple of weeks, catching up with our favorite NFA teams for an Off-season News Roundup. Wednesday, you hopefully caught us talking about the Stripes.

Fern:And the Minutemen on Monday.

Frank:Yep, yep. And it’s Friday…

Fern:[singing off-key] T-G-I-F!

Frank:And so, to celebrate, we’re recapping the team that you really want to hear about. The monolith. The drama-magnet nexus of big personalities. I can onlybe talking about…

Fern:The Miami Cyclones! Yay! Where do we start?

Frank:Well, we need to keep this short, because we only have twenty minutes. And, honestly, the Cyclones’ off-season news could fill an entire segment. So we’re going to hit it rapid-fire, hit it hard. Sound off, Fern.

Fern:The Covelli baby! Congrats are in order for QB #1 Sandy Covelli and his wife Jamie. According to Jamie’s Instagram, they’re expecting their first kiddo this fall. Aww!

Frank:Love to hear it. That’s going to be one genetically-gifted baby. The 2046 draft class better watch out. How about kicker Kurt Dettweiler?

Fern:Touring the circuit of Southern Baptist churches, packing them to the rafters with his inspiring and stirring discussions about abortion being murder, raising arrows for the Lord, the need for women to be submissive, modest keepers of the home… umm, I feel like I’m missing something…

Frank:Don’t forget about the sanctity of marriage.

Fern:Yup. That too. The Family Research Council just presented him with a trailblazer award for his… and I quote… “Stunning contributions to spreading moral goodness in America.” Congratulations, Kurt.

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